The concept of planks for use in docks is well known in the art. Typically, wooden planks are used for docks because of their low cost and light weight. However, wooden planks have certain disadvantages.
One of the major disadvantages of wooden planks is that the dock is continually exposed to the weather and eventually, the planks rot and must be replaced. Oftentimes, the stringers and support members are sound and do not have to be replaced; however, frequently it is needed to replace the dock planks.
One of the difficulties of making polymer plastic planks, particularly polymer plastic dock planks, is that, in order to make the planks sufficiently strong, they become either too massive and too expensive for use as a dock plank or they become difficult to fabricate.
The present invention provides both a process and method for making a dock plank which has a general rectangular, open-box shape and which is reinforced with a separate reinforcing rib attached to one side of the plank. The reinforced dock plank can be attached directly to the support members of the dock and secured thereto by fasteners located on the reinforcing rib thereby providing both reinforcement to the plastic dock plank and, simultaneously, providing means for further securing a plank to the dock and for securing the plank to an adjacent dock plank.